Improvement in harvesters



A. A. HEATH. Harvester. l; No. 47,639. Y Ffemed'may 9.1865.

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` UNITED, STATES y Pivrnivr OFFICE.

AfA. HEATH, OF VEST GREENVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.`

Speciiicntion forming part of Letters Patent No. 47.639, dated May 9, 1865.

' tion thereof, which will enable Qthers skilled in the art to make and use the same reference being had tothe accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of my invention;

Fig. 2, a plan or top View of the same; Fig. 3, a section of a portion of the same taken in the line x Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a section of a`portion Of-the same taken in the line y y, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention relates to an improvement in the sickle-driving mechanism whereby the machine is rendered capable of being readily turned and backed and vthe parts rendered durable and not liable to catch the cut grassor grain as the machine is drawn along in order to perform its Work.

The invention also relates to an improved means of applying the pitman to the sickle-bar, the advantages of which will be hereinafter set forth.

A represents the frame of the machine, of rectangular form, supported at its 4rear part by two wheels, B, B, and at its front end by a caster-wheel, C. The wheels B B are fitted loosely on their axle D, and each of said wheels has a toothed rim, E, attached to or cast concentrically on it. vThese rims E have pinions F gearing into them, which are on separate or independent shafts G G, fitted into suitable bearings, c, on the frame A,tl1e inner ends or said shafts being in the same bearing and inclosed by a collar, b, which forms the hub of a bevel-wheel, H, the collar b being allowed to turnl freely on the shafts G G. (See Fi g. 2.) On each end of the collar b there is a. ratchet, c,

which forms one part of a clutch, I, the otherl parts, c, being precisely similar to c, and fitted by feathers and grooves on the shaft G, one on each. These parts c of the clutches I have each a lever, J, connected to them, and a spring, K, bears against the outer side of each part c, said springs having atendency to keep the parts c in gear with the parts c, so as to connect the bevel-wheel H with the shafts G G and cause its rotation when the machine is backed. The parts c', however, owing tothe formation of their teeth, will slip over the teeth of the parts c, and the bevel-wheel H will not be turned. 'Ihe bevelwheel H gears into a bevel-pinion, L, which is `on acrankshaft, M, from which the sickle is driven by a pitman, N,

the shaft M occupying a longitudinal andcentral position on the frame A.

By this arrangement it will be seen that the sickle is rendered inoperative when the machine is backed, and in turning the machine, by disconnecting one of the shafts G from the wheelv H, much draft and friction are `avoided. The wheel H, in consequence of being on the collar b, which is'inclosed `by the centrale `bearing, a, is firmly retained in position, being prevented from twisting under lateral concussion, and hence it will always work truly; and

as all the parts above specified are within the frame A, and considerably elevated, they are y beyond the reach of cnt grass or grain.

The caster-wheel C has its standard (Z fitted ina bearing at the front end of a frame', C), composed of a straight bar, e, and an oblique bar, f, the former extending along at one side of the machine and fitted atits rear end loose-` ly on the axle D, and the latter secured by a pivot-bolt, g, to the front cross-bar `of the frame A. l

P- is a lever which has its fulcruin-pin 71J in a stirrup or link, Q, attached at its lower end to the frame A, the bar e of the frame O passing throughsaid stirrup or link. .The lower part of the lever `P is quite broad, so as to form two bearing-surfaces, ij, at right angles with each other, the lever being inan upright position when the surface fi rests or bears upon the bar e of the frame O, and in a horizontal position when the surface j bears upon' it, and the latter surface is considerably farther fromthe fulcrum-pin h of the lever than the surface t,

and hence when the lever P is turned down y y to a horizontal position the frame A will be raised, and also the Vinner ends of the fingen bar and sickle which are attached to it.

R is a shoe, which is connected by joints k y la to barsZ Z, which project obliquely downward from the right side of the frame A. y To this shoe R the finger-bar S is secured. To the shoe R there is attached a standard, T, to the upper end of which a chain, U, is secured, said chain passi-ng around a pulley, m, at the under left-hand side of the frame A, and eX- tending back to the lower part of a lever, V, Where it is attached, said lever being iitted loosely on the axle D.

y It will be seen from the above description that When the frame A is raised by driving back the lever P to a horizontal position the inner ends of theiinger-bar and sickle will only be raised as the shoe R is connected to the inclined bars ZZ by joints k 7c, and therefore to elevate the outer ends of the finger-bar and sickle the arrangement of the lever V, chain U, and standard Tis necessary. Either end of the ingenbar and sickle may be raised separately, ,or one Without the other, or both ends raised, so that they may be above the surface of the ground when thel machine is being drawn from place to place. By this arrangement the sickle may be made to pass over obstructions which may liein its path, or the sickle entirely raised when not designed for operation.

To the shoe R there is attached an upright bail-shaped frame, W, in Which a bar, X, is.

'.link, n, as shown clearlyin Fig. 3. The link a is connected to an eye, o, formed in a bar,

' p, which is aachen to the Sickle, and this im p extends back underneath the swinging or pendulum bar X, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. By this means the sickle Y is prevented from rising at its inner end, and much friction and consequent-Wear and tear avoided in the drivingof the sickle. The pitman also can be ni orc elevated and out of the Way of cut grass or grain.

The sickle-bar, just back of its teeth a, is rabbeted at its under side longitudinally, as shown at b', to run or Work against the front edge of the finger-bar S, (see Fig. 4,) and this'rabbet forms a shoulder, c', on the top of the sicklebar for the back ends of the teeth a tc abut against. (See Fig. l.) By this mode of construction the sickle-bar may be tapered from its inner to its outer end, and consequently made stronger at the inner end, Where the greatest strength is required.

' The bar p,'in which the eye o is made and to which the pitman N is connected, is attached to the nger-bar S by rivets directly over the teeth a at the inner end of the finger-bar.

Having thus described my invention, I'claiin as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-e '1. The combination of the collar b of the bevel-wheel H, pinion-shafts G G, and clutches I I, arranged substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The caster-wheel C, attached to the frame O7 applied to the main frame A of the machine, substantially as shown, in combination with the lever P applied to the machine, subA stantially as shown, to operate in the manner as and for the purpose speciiied.

3. The combination of the pitman N, pendulous bar X, standard W', link a. and sickle y, arranged and operated as and for the purpose described.

A. A. HEATH.

"Vitnesses:

WVM. Buen, I. K. HAMBLIN. 

